SCARLET Christie has enjoyed a fascinating ride on her Australian Rules football (AFL) journey.
The promising Port Stephens Power defender/rover took up the sport two years ago and proved an on-field “natural” – impressing keen judges with her athleticism, stamina and tackling technique.
As a just reward for her consistent and wholehearted displays, Scarlet was recently selected in the NSW All Schools Under 14s AFL team that will compete at this year’s School Sport Australia Games in Melbourne next month.
It has been a meteoric rise for the 13-year-old Hunter River High School all-rounder, who was named in a powerful 25 player All Schools squad after standout performances for NSW Combined High Schools at the State AFL Championships in Albury.
Combined Catholic Colleges won the overall title but Scarlet proved a rock in defence and made an impact in the rover role for her CHS outfit.
Just weeks earlier she was judged Most Valuable Player for the Hunter team at the NSW Combined High Schools AFL Championships at Byron Bay.
An ecstatic Scarlet told News Of The Area that representing NSW at one of her favourite sports was a “huge buzz”.
“I still can’t believe that I will be going to Melbourne to participate in the School Sport Australia Games with some of the best AFL juniors in the country,” the Year 8 student said.
“It will be an amazing experience and a special event to be a part of.”
Australian Rules football is one of eight sports that will be featured at the upcoming Games to be staged from 25 July to 31July at the Latrobe University grounds.
Scarlet has flourished in the Hunter Central Coast AFL Juniors competition ranks with the Power club and has applied the same discipline and work ethic for which she is renowned in her other chosen sports.
In the warmer months the boom athlete is a talented long jumper for the Medowie Little Athletics Club, while during the winter period she revels at rugby league and union.
Scarlet is an emerging hooker with the Raymond Terrace Roosters Under 14s womens tackle team in the Hunter Junior League competition and Newcastle Knights Pathways system where she uses her pace off the mark and copybook tackling style to great effect.
She juggles her AFL and rugby league commitments by also playing in the Friday night Girls Under 15 rugby competition as a sharp running centre with the Lake Macquarie Roos.
By Chris KARAS
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